Information on Family Medicine & Family Practice Career Paths

Family medicine, a division of urgent care, has only recently been recognized in India as a medical specialty. Since family medicine (FM) physicians are essential to the national goal of providing both affordable and universal health care, they are in constant demand and an extreme shortage exists. With the lack of awareness through late adoption, shortage of post graduate training positions, and the growing phenomenon of physicians preferring to relocation to US based medical facilities, a mini crisis in India exists. Growth of the professional is being accomplished gradually with the help of organizations such as Wonca which hosts global conferences and encourages local communities of physicians to connect.

The Medical Council of India and the American Board of Family Medicine both require a 3 year residency in addition to a medical degree, this similarity of term requirements has made for a more convenient transition for high performing physicians in India to in demand locations like Florida, California, Chicago, Texas, New York City, and Washington state. The growth of family practice and family medicine in the United States is apparent through checking internet job boards for FM opportunities in outpatient, inpatient, clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities. Skilled FP and FM physicians can take their pick from the most desired locations:

Meanwhile in India, the need for these types of medical professionals in primary and secondary levels is so vast that educators are attempting to work family medicine into undergraduate medical programs at many universities across the country. Dr. Zachariah of the Christian Medical College wrote on this specific national objective in The Hindu: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article17142.ece